Investors have been watching inflation closely, and it appeared that they weren't entirely comfortable with what they saw from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday morning. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% in the month of September, keeping its year-over-year rise at 3.7%. That's well above the 2% target from the Federal Reserve, and stock index futures responded by giving up a substantial part of their gains from earlier in the morning.

In addition to inflation data and the Fed, investors are looking closely for signs of how the economy is doing. Earnings reports from the third quarter will play a big role in setting the tone for the market, and the current trickle of financial numbers will turn into a torrent in the days and weeks to come. On Thursday morning, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) reported their latest financial results, and shareholders were generally happy with what they saw. Here are the details you need to know.

Shares of Delta Air Lines were up more than 3% in premarket trading Thursday morning. The airline giant reported third-quarter financial results that showed the current strength of the travel industry, but Delta also warned that the good times might not last forever.

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Source Fool.com